Aquatic amusement device



y 9, 1940- R. L. RlSON AQUATIC AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Sept. 16,

INVENTOR BY 4 WITNESS ATTORN EYS Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to aquatic amusement devices, and its general object is to provide a buoyant or non-sinkable device which is primarily designed for use by children and particularly those of tender ages, in that a child can be seated in the device, with the latter floating on the water, and the possibility of the child removing itself therefrom or becoming casually removed or unseated is practically impossible, yet the child has free movement of its arms and legs, therefore it will be obvious that my device will afford much amusement and fun for children, as well as give them the healthful benefits, of bathing at water resorts, without fear of danger or the need of constant attention.

A further object is to provide an aquatic amusement device, that includes an annular float or buoyant means which may be of any suitable material, inflatable or otherwise, but is preferably an inner tube of a pneumatic tire, and means in the form of a cradled seat mounted on and detachably secured to the tube in spanning relation to be supported thereby.

Another object is to provide an aquatic amusement device of the character set forth, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efilcient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyin drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken therethrough and illustrates the device in use.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the seat frame applied to the float, the latter being in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the refer-- ence numeral I indicates an annular rubber inflatable tube having a valve 2 for use in inflating and deflating the same as will be apparent, and while the tube is preferably that of a pneumatic tire, it will be understood that the buoyant means may not necessarily be a pneumatic tube of the type shown, but may be of any type and formed from any material, such as cork or the like, providing it is of annular or substantially annular formation and round in cross section for thepur:

pose of having mounted thereon the seat portion of my device to be supported thereby, in the manner 'as' clearly shown in Figure 1.

The seat portion of my device includes a frame of substantially rectangular formation, and which is preferably formed from strands of rod like wire to provide a pair-of parallel side mem bers 3 having their ends looped upon themselves to provide semi-circular portions 4 that termi nate in eyes 5 for a purpose which will be later described. The semi-circular portions are of a size to fit the transverse curvature of the tube, when the latter is inflated to a certain pressure, for the disposal of the frame thereon in spanning relation thereto, the semi-circular portions being arranged over the tube as shown, with the intermediate portions bridging the tube and disposed in a horizontal plane.

Bridging the side members and having its ends secured thereto at the juncture of the semi-circular portions at one of the ends of the horizontal portions is a cross member 6 providing one of the ends of the frame, while a circular cross member I for the opposite end of the frame is secured to and bridges the other semi-circular portions adjacent to the eyed outer ends thereof, so as to rest upon the upper surface of the tube, as best shown in Figure 2.

The seat also includes a fabric portion made from canvas or other suitable material, to provide a substantially rectangular shaped body 8 and side walls 9, the body 8 being of a length to extend between the cross or end members 6 and l in looped formation for disposal below the tube, as best shown in Figure 2, and the ends of the body are hemmed as at ill, with the cross members 6 and l mounted in the hems for securing the 'body thereto. The side Walls have their upper edge portions hemmed as at H, with the intermediate or horizontal portions of the side members 3 mounted therein, and the remaining edge portions of the side walls are stitched or otherwise secured to the side edges of the body which also has the rear portion 12 thereof disposed about the tube and the ends of the rear portion are hemmed, with the rearwardly disposed semi-circular portion mounted therein. The forward portion of the body is provided with a pair of openings 13 for the passage of the legs of the user therethrough when seated in the device, as will be apparent, upon inspection of Figure 2, and the openings I3 are reinforced by suitable binding material I4.

Secured to the side members 3 preferably at the juncture of the semi-circular portions 4 therewith are one of the ends of flexible strands I5, of rope or the like and which cooperate with the semi-circular portions 4 for securing the seat portion of my device tothe buoyant means or inner tube as shown, and for that purpose the opposite ends of the strands are tied to the eyed ends of the semi-circular portions, as best shown in Figure 2. While I have illustrated rope or cord for that purpose, it will of course be understood that I may use straps, but in any event the seat portion is detachably connected to the buoyant means to be supported thereby, as shown.

The portion of the body about the leg receiving openings may be reinforced by a strip of fabric material secured to the body to extend between the openings, so that the narrow portion between the openings will be materially strengthened and the reinforcing strip cooperates with the binding material to prevent any possibility of tearing or breaking the narrow portion, thus adding to the safety of the device, as will be'apparent.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

An aquatic amusement device for use with an inflated pneumatic tube of a vehicle tire and comprising a rectangular frame formed from rod like wire to include parallel side members provided with straight intermediate portions and semi-circular end portions, the latter adapted to be mounted on the upper portion of the tube for disposal of the intermediate portions in spanning relation to the tube in a plane slightly below the horizontal cross sectional diameter thereof, end members bridging the side members, one of the end members secured to the intermediate portions at the juncture thereof with the semi-circular portions at one of the ends of the intermediate portions and the other end member secured between the ends of the semi-circular portions at the opposite ends of the intermediate portions, fabric seating means secured to the side and end members to be suspended below the tube, said semi-circular end portions terminating at their outer ends in eyes, and flexible means having one of their ends connected to the side members and their opposite ends being adapted to be tied to the eyes for cooperation with the semi-circular portions for detachably securing the frame to the tube.

ROBERT L. RISON. 

